UConn Nips Gators

Storrs, Conn. — Shabazz Napier hit a jumper from the free throw line as time expired to keep No. 12 Connecticut undefeated with a 65-64 victory over No. 15 Florida on Monday night.

Napier, limping on a left ankle he hurt during a four-point play with 33 seconds left, escaped a trap around 30 feet from the basket and got off a wild shot that missed but was tipped blindly back by DeAndre Daniels.

Napier grabbed the ball and let go a left-handed jumper that went through as the horn sounded and set off a deafening cheer from the sellout crowd of 10,167 at Gampel Pavilion.

Napier finished with 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting including making 5 of 8 from 3-point range.

The Huskies (8-0) and Florida (6-2), which had a five-game winning streak snapped, battled down the stretch exchanging the lead six times in the final 6 minutes.

No. 17 Iowa State 99, Auburn 70

Ames, Iowa — Dustin Hogue set career highs with 22 points and 16 rebounds, and 17th-ranked Iowa State pounded Auburn for its sixth straight win.

Melvin Ejim added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Cyclones (6-0), who are the Big 12’s last unbeaten team.

Iowa State used a 27-5 run midway through the first half to build a 15-point lead. It jumped ahead by as much as 60-33 early in the second half in cruising to its fourth win by at least 29 points.

Women’s Top 25

No. 12 South Carolina 79 NC Central 27

Columbia, s.c. — Tiffany Mitchell scored 19 points to lead red-hot No. 12 South Carolina to a win over North Carolina Central, giving coach Dawn Staley her 100th win early in her sixth season.

Staley is only the seventh head coach in South Carolina’s 40 years of playing women’s basketball and the fourth to win at least 100 games.

South Carolina made short work of the Bulldogs, shooting 69.2 percent while rolling to a 46-15 halftime lead. The Gamecocks scored the first five points and then went on a 15-0 run for a 26-4 lead at the 8:18 mark.